Eristalis nemorum (Linnaeus, 1758)
Wing length: 8.25mm to 10.5mm
Flight season: late March to October, peaking in July and August.
A widespread species throughout the United Kingdom, although not so common in the west and North of Scotland. Common over most of Europe as far south as Iberia, into the Balkans and Italy.
Habitat: Found in a wide range of habitats, most abundant in woodland edges, flower rich meadows, hedgerows, gardens and wastelands.
A wide range of flowers are visited which include yellow composites, umbellifers, Cakile, Calluna and vulgaris.
The male (Sometimes more than one male) will often be seen doing a courtship display, by hovering above a foraging female for many minutes.
Larvae are aquatic and have the appearance type as Rat-tailed maggots. The adults can sometimes travel far from their obvious breeding sites, (normally shallow water places) which are nutrient enriched with animal dung, such places as farmyard drains, fen meadows and poorly drained sites.
Below are images of both sexes, the males eyes are closer together at the crown of the head.